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From: ajy2208%ritcv@cs.rit.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: SDX:  More questions.
Message-ID: <1193@cs.rit.edu>
Date: 5 Jul 89 13:19:53 GMT
References: <8907040415.AA07218@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Sender: news@cs.rit.edu
Reply-To: ajy2208.ritcv.rit.edu (Albert Yarusso)
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Lines: 34

I've had Sparta X for several months now and consider it a well-spent
investment in my 8-bit system.  Prior to using SDX I used Sparta 3.2d
(which at the time I was using to run a Carina II BBS) so upgrading
to SDX was a natural choice for me.  

SDX seems to work with more programs than before (especially if BANKED
mode is used on a 128K> machine with the X command), but there are a 
few programs it simply doesn't work with (AtariWriter Plus, for instance,
although I have heard of a patch to make it work).  I __LOVE__ having
ARC at my fingertips, although Bob Puff's ARC/DEARC programs are about
twice as fast as SDX's.  But one nice thing about SDX is the existence
of a PATH variable that specifies where to look for programs you want
to run.  For example, you can have it look at the CAR: (SDX cartridge)
first, then the current working directory, then in your D1:UTIL> directory,
etc...  This is VERY VERY VERY handy!!  

I like just about everything with SDX with a few exceptions.  I WISH there
was a switch on the cartridge that would let me disable it, rather than
having to do a COLD /N everytime I don't want it on.  Then again, I don't
suppose it would be TOO difficult to build one.. :-)  Another problem
with SDX is the lack of technical documentation.  Bob Puff lives in my
area, and he had the darndest time getting enough information about SDX
so he could make BobTerm work with it (not to mention the CLI!!!!).  Is 
there anything else I don't like??  Not right offhand!!

Oh yea, there is something..  I also wished ICD has aimed more for a 
UNIX style shell than (gasp!) MeSsy-DOS..  oh well!  Can't have 
everything!  Maybe we'll get Unix for the 8-bit  now that the
Turbo 8-16 board is out.. ;-)
__________________________________________________________________________
Albert Yarusso,  Rochester Institute of Technology

Bitnet:  ajy2208@ritvax.bitnet
Usenet:  ajy2208.ritcv.rit.edu